City Electric Supply Is Excited to Help
KISSIMMEE, FL — Orlando residents will soon experience the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower and slingshot. The ICON Park Drop Tower and Slingshot will stand 40 stories tall over International Drive’s Orlando Entertainment District, Walt Disney World Resort, and Universal Orlando Resort. City Electric Supply is thrilled to share that CES Kissimmee was a part of this one-of-a-kind project.
“It’s always exciting to work on something besides what you usually do day to day,” said CES Kissimmee Branch Manager Bill Gurley. “The Drop Tower and Slingshot are both a huge deal. Customers have heard about it, and I’ve had friends share local news stories on Facebook. Knowing that we’re connected to it is very special.”
The new project is making waves around Orlando for pretty good reasons. “Working on the world’s tallest free-standing Drop Tower and Slingshot is something special. You don’t get to work on giant rides like these every day,” said Gurley. “It takes about 2,000 amps to supply the rides with power. We’re talking big Eaton-Cutler Hammer switchgear and massive transformers. The Slingshot takes one 1,000-amp breaker. The Drop Tower has two 800-amp breakers, plus another panel for lightning and surge protection.”
The branch landed the job through a contractor who works with the store, Owner of Toolman Electric Kevin White, who decided to tackle a project that’s outside of the residential and commercial field. Kevin has a great relationship with the park owner and is the only individual he trusts to complete the rides.
“Thanks to our long-term relationship with Kevin and his team, he knows all of the requirements we have at our new installations,” said Ritchie Armstrong, owner of the Slingshot Group of Companies. “We do not have to go over all of the unique scenarios every time we start a new project. I can rely on him to relieve me of all issues and questions from architects and engineers to local authorities.”
And the longstanding work relationships continue. Kevin has been a customer of CES Kissimmee for over 20 years and has worked hand-in-hand with the branch for the last eight years. “Toolman Electric has continued to source from CES time and time again,” Kevin said. “The fast responses, exceptional product knowledge, and dedication that Bill and his team provide us have helped our projects run smoothly.”
For CES Kissimmee, this particular project was special, but it wasn’t the first time they rolled up their sleeves for a cool project in the area. The branch has helped build four Slingshots at various locations between Orlando and Panama City, providing all electrical materials. Projects like those definitely helped them prepare for building two of the tallest rides in the U.S.
There’s no question that this project has taken Gurley and his team on an exciting ride.
“Toolman Electric is always up for a challenge,” Gurley said. “There is no question these uniquely engineered amusement rides have tested the limits of our skills. At 400 feet in the air, these projects are both a challenge and a joy to work on.”
While the project is nearing completion, you might come across contractors doing some safety testing. “That’s real,” Gurley laughed. “They test the rides every single day, and you’ll definitely see a contractor strapping in to give it a spin.”
But CES Kissimmee isn’t limited to amusement park rides. They’ve worked on other attractions and hotels around the famous Universal Orlando Resort, and they look forward to tackling more in the future. After all, they’ve proved they can handle it.
City Electric Supply (CES) was founded in 1951 by Tom Mackie in the United Kingdom and expanded to the United States in 1983.
